India’s pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh was fined 15 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point by the ICC for breaching Article 2.9 of its Code of Conduct during India’s 96-run victory over New Zealand in Ahmedabad.
The incident, a throw that struck batter Daryl Mitchell on the pads, unfolded in the 11th over of New Zealand’s chase. It was brief, but enough to draw the attention of both the on-field umpires and ICC match referee Andy Pycroft.
What Happened in the 11th Over
New Zealand were in the middle of chasing India’s total when Arshdeep fielded the ball on his follow-through and threw it aggressively in the direction of the stumps. The throw struck Daryl Mitchell on the pads.
Singh walked back to his mark without immediately offering an apology. Mitchell, seemingly agitated, walked towards him. India captain Suryakumar Yadav quickly intervened to defuse the situation, while on-field umpire Richard Illingworth was also seen speaking with Arshdeep.
By the end of the over, Arshdeep had gone up to Mitchell and apologised. The pair were later shown shaking hands in a video posted on the BlackCaps’ official Instagram account.
What ICC Rule Did Arshdeep Break?
The charge fell under Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which deals with:
“Throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment) at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an international match.”
This sits within Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. It is the least severe category, but one that still carries formal consequences.
Penalty range for a Level 1 breach:
- Minimum: Official reprimand
- Maximum: 50% of a player’s match fee + 1 to 2 demerit points
As this was Arshdeep’s first offence in a 24-month rolling period, he received the lower end of the scale: a 15% match-fee fine and one demerit point.
The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf, third umpire Allahuddien Paleker, and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock.
What Are ICC Demerit Points?
ICC demerit points accumulate over a 24-month rolling period. Once a player crosses certain thresholds, automatic match bans are triggered:
| 4 demerit points in 24 months | 1 Test or 2 ODI/T20I suspension |
| 8 demerit points | 2 Tests or 4 ODI/T20I suspension |
Since this was Arshdeep’s first breach in the 24-month window, he sits at 1 demerit point, far from a suspension threshold.
Arshdeep’s Response: “My Throw Reverse-Swung”
Speaking to broadcaster Harsha Bhogle after India’s assertive 96-run win, Arshdeep explained the throw was unintentional.
“Just went to apologise to Mitchell. My throw reverse-swung and hit him so just wanted to say sorry to him for that. It was not intentional,” he said.
In a video shared on the BlackCaps’ official Instagram account, Arshdeep was seen apologising once more to Mitchell, following which the two shook hands, closing the matter on a sportsman-like note.
Arshdeep Accepted the Sanction: No Hearing was Required
Arshdeep accepted the proposed sanction from match referee Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. It brought the matter to a close without further proceedings. Hence, no formal hearing was required.
India’s World Cup Win: The Bigger Picture
The incident did not overshadow the result. India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to lift the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 trophy, their third title in the format, which is a record. The BCCI announced a cash reward of INR 131 crore for the World Cup-winning squad.
Arshdeep Singh was a key contributor to India’s bowling attack throughout the tournament. It was another strong campaign overall, and the fine is a minor footnote to what was a landmark day for Indian cricket.
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